Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-12-23
w. G. r. q.
[7Ms Coiumni "a Edited undsrihe Direction
ofthe w. O. r. Union, of Psrrysbur
"THE MEN VINO DRINK,

HE MEN WHU DhLNk,'
The proposition OF n member oi the City
Council OF Richmond, Va, to add 10 the
revenue Of that city by requiring all liquor
drinkep 10 take out "drinkerr' licenses
at one dollar year, to he non-,ronsferable =,
Is commented upon nt length cdiioria!ly by
the New YORK Observer, which suggests
that before the law becomes general
Throughout, the United States 1t be
amended to provide for three grades of
licenses, the moderate drinkers, the COM
mon uplers, and hard drinkers, and says
ironically:
"Ii II were required by law that these
different licenses be written ont plainly on
stiff white card-bo,rd, and suspended by
n cord around the neck, it would at once
put an end to all that confusion which nav
e1isis IN respect to the different grades
OF drinkers, and thus relieve the public
mind OF great amount OF anxiety. The
old-fashioned signs which nature has de-
vised to distinguish lovers Of strong drink
are not always apprehended and some
times lead to embarrassing mistakes. Men
who never use intoxicants as beverage
sometimes bear the marks OF the hardened
and inveterate drinker. But all mistakes
and unfounded aspersiors OF character
would be avoided by having the licenses
neatly framed and hung from the neck I.
The moderate drinker would never be
confounded then on any occasion with the
common tippler or habituol drunkard, but
could point triumphantly TO his license in
vindication OF his manhood and independ-
ence. The tipplers and the regular sots
could never then be so mixed up by mu-
tual indulgence that they could not be
quickly sorted out by the police and each
receive the consideration due TO his par
ticular rank. Furthermore, it ia obvious
that If these licenses contained among their
provisions few sentences describing the
peculinri,ies of their wearers 1t would be
oil great public advantage-such, for ex-
ample, as the following: For and in con-
sideration of the sum of - dollars paid
yearly into the public treasury, the holde r
Of this license is authorized to make a
brute Of himself as often as he pleases, and
to commit such acts as he may be COM
PEELED to commit, and shall be guiltles4
therefor before the law this, with other
specifications, such as l am wife-beater,
Il am ugly when Pm drunk Look out
Tor me. Tn dangerous, Il smash furniture,
4 am only an IDIOT I am just silly,
would insure Justice all around, both to
the licenses and to the members OF the
comm munity in which they move"
1t adds:
"Seriously speaking, we believe that the
liquor drinker should not be allowed to
escape a share OF the odium which at
taches TO the traffic in strong drink. OF
course the proposition TO license drinkers
is utterly impracticable, but the idea oil
branding men publicly who deliberately
turn themselves into idiots and fends by
the use OF intoxicants is not far from right.
We confess 10 very little sympathy with
this class, There has been, in our opinion,
altogether TOO much leniency shown to-
wards the poor drunkards, they have
been pltied and treated 10 soft words and
gentle remonstrances when they ought to
have received stern reproval or severe
punishment. Drunkenness ought to be re-
gardsd M n crime in the law, with pen
altles sufficiently heavy 10 make men re-
aliIe the real enormity Of the offense
Instead Of being regarded as disease, oil
u weakness an indulgence excusable n
times, and nnder certain circumstances "a
be laughed at and passed over lightly, II
should be always aud everywhere consi6.
cred In lis true light as a hideous sin, an
offense against the laws of God and of man.
Men should be made TO understand thai
they have no more right to deliberately y
reduce themselves 10 the grade of wild
and savage bruies, to make of themselve
lunatics and demons, than they have tc
rob their neighbors or TO commit arson OF
murder.
The strong point with which th,
Davis" has fought and won so many bat.